The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 1 (of 2) — John Shaqi
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 1 (of 2)Paltock, Robert
Science
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 1 (of 2)
Paltock, Robert
Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction
His Shipwreck near the South Pole; his wonderful Passage thro' a
subterraneous Cavern into a kind of new World; his there meeting with a
Gawry or flying woman, whose Life he preserv'd, and afterwards married
her; his extraordinary Conveyance to the Country of Glums and Gawrys, or
Men and Women that fly. Likewise a Description of this strange Country,
with the Laws, Customs, and Manners of its Inhabitants, and the Author's
remarkable Transactions among them.
Taken from his own Mouth, in his Passage to England from off Cape Horn
in America, in the ship Hector,
With an INTRODUCTION, giving an Account of the surprizing Manner of his
coming on board that Vessel, and his Death on his landing at Plymouth in
the Year 1739.
Illustrated with several Cuts, clearly and distinctly representing the
Structure and Mechanism of the Wings of the Glums and Gawrys, and the
Manner in which they use them either to swim or fly.
To the Right Honourable
ELIZABETH,
Countess of Northumberland, Madam,
Few Authors, I believe, who write in my Way (whatever View they may set
out with) can, in the Prosecution of their Works, forbear to dress their
fictitious Characters in the real Ornaments themselves have been most
delighted with.
THIS, I confess, hath been my Case, in the Person of _Youwarkee_, in
the following Sheets; for having formed her Body, I found myself at an
inexpressible Loss how to adorn her Mind in the masterly Sentiments
I coveted to endue her with; 'till I recollected the most aim[i]able
Pattern in your Ladyship; a single View of which, at a Time of the
utmost fatigue to his Lordship, hath charmed my Imagination ever since.
If a Participater of the Cares of Life in general, alleviates the
Concerns of Man; what an invaluable Blessing must that Lady prove, to
the Softness of whose Sex Nature hath conjoined an Aptitude for Council,
an Application, Zeal, and Dispatch but too rarely found in his own!
Had my Situation in Life been so happy as to have presented me with
Opportunities of more frequent and minuter Remarks upon your Ladyship's
Conduct, I might have defy'd the whole _British_ Fair to have outshone
my southern Gawry: For if, to a majestic Form and extensive Capacity, I
had been qualified to have copied that natural Sweetness of Disposition,
that maternal Tenderness, that Cheerfulness, that Complacency,
Condescension, Affability, and unaffected Benevolence, which so
apparently distinguish the Countess of _Northumberland_; I had exhibited
in my _Youwarkee_ a Standard for future Generations.
Madam, I am the more sensible of my Speaking but the Truth from the
late Instance of your Benignity, which entitles me to the Honour of
subscribing myself,
Madam, Your Ladyship's
most obliged and
most obedient Servant,
R. P.
CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
CHAPTER I.
Giving an account of the authors birth and family--The fondness of his
mother--His being put to an academy at sixteen by the advice of his
friend--His thoughts of his own literature
CHAPTER II.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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